Who will pay for cable link plan?
LABOR has welcomed the goahead for the $3.5bn Marinus Link power cables, but wants to know who will be picking up the bill.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has given the green light for the project.
The twin 750 megawatt cables are tipped to create up to 2800 jobs, mostly in regional Tasmania through a boom in renewable energy exports into mainland states.
But it is dependent on the government passing legislation for a renewable energy target and on sorting out who will pay for the project.
Energy Minister Guy Barnett was not able to answer the second question on Thursday.
“That will be decided in due course over time,” he said.
Opposition energy spokesman David O’Byrne said the cable can’t be built without someone to pay for it.
“The Marinus Link project is a unique opportunity for Tasmania to contribute to the nation’s future power needs and create much-needed jobs for Tasmanians,” Mr O’Byrne said. “But before it can proceed the state government needs to answer some significant questions, chief of which is who will pay. It is not enough for the government to say it will only pay its fair share – without understanding who pays what, it’s the equivalent of a blank cheque, with Tasmanian taxpayers footing the bill.”
Greens leader
Cassy
Link so far. Mr Barnett hailed the project’s potential to turn Tasmania into a renewable energy source for the nation – and the jobs it would generate.
“Marinus Link is a gamechanger. It is national infrastructure and will deliver thousands of jobs, billions of investment, downward pressure on electricity prices and improved energy security, with benefits particularly in regional Tasmania,” he said.
“This link will unlock a mass of renewable energy projects in Tasmania because we have a world-class wind resource, we have a world-class water resource.
“This is a major step forward for the nation-building and state-building infrastructure.”
Premier Peter Gutwein hailed Marinus Link as “a sensational job-creating project for the state”.
There are hopes the first of the two cables can be completed as early as 2028-29.
david.killick@news.com.au